Sailing from Bamberg, we arrived at Würzburg in the early afternoon. Around 2 PM, we departed by bus for a short walk to get to Würzburg’s Residenz Palace. Our All Aboard time tonight wasn’t until 9 PM, so we had an opportunity to explore the city and especially the Christmas Market at night! We could…
An Amazing Day In Bamberg!
We began our visit with a walking tour of Bamberg’s Old Town. Bamber survived WWII bombings relatively unscathed, preserving its historic character. With over 2,000 timber-framed buildings, cobblestone streets, and baroque buildings, it is a living example of a medieval European city. We fell in love with this cute little shop….
Visiting Nuremberg
After our rainy visit to Regensburg, we headed to Nuremberg. While we enjoyed our visit, as Mark’s dad would have put it, it was a mixed bag. The Nuremberg Trials After departing the boat, we boarded a bus for a drive across the city of Nuremberg to the Palace of Justice. The Palace of…
Exploring Regensburg, Germany
We met our ship, the Monarch Queen, in Regensburg, Germany, to begin our river cruise. Regensburg, one of Germany’s oldest and best-preserved medieval cities, is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We began our visit with a walking tour of the old city. If you saw our last blog, ‘The Historic Sausage Kitchen’, you’ll…
The Historic Sausage Kitchen of Regensburg
Arriving in Regensburg, Germany, and boarding the Monarch Queen, we relaxed and settled in for our upcoming river cruise. The next day would include a short walking tour of the city and time in the Christmas Markets. We knew we’d have free time for lunch. Based on the recommendations of friends (thanks, Scott and Evie)…
Sailing On The Monarch Queen
After departing Pilsen, we made our way to Regensburg, Germany, where the Monarch Queen was docked. The ship would be our home away from home for the next seven days. The Monarch Queen The Monarch Queen accommodates 174 passengers and features 90 outside cabins. Sixty-five of which have a French Balcony. Cabins range…
Surprised by Pilsen
The next morning, we departed the Art Deco Imperial Hotel in Prague and headed to Regensburg, Germany, to board the Monarch Queen Riverboat. It was time to officially start our German Christmas Market River Cruise! After driving about an hour and a half, we stopped in the heart of Pilsen, in the Czech Republic. We…
Our Official Prague Journey Begins
The next day, we officially began the Prague portion of our Gate 1 Christmas Market adventure with a Prague city tour. On the way to our first location, was passed some pretty impressive sites. One was the Masaryčka Building, a uniquely shaped office and retail building. We also passed the Prague Main Station…
A Few Days Exploring Prague
Our Gate 1 Travel, 11-day Christmas Market River Cruise started with a few days in Prague. While we met some people who did a shorter trip, flew into Germany, and boarded the cruise in Regensburg, quite a few added the Prague pre-trip. We’re so glad we chose the Prague portion, as it was fantastic. Neither…
Christmas Market River Cruise
We both love Christmas. When we first met, we truly connected over our shared love of the holiday. When we lived in Philadelphia, we hosted a Christmas open house for several years. We had four uniquely decorated trees, including one retro silver tree with blue ornaments that became our “Hannukkah Tree.” We have also started…